Train-pipe coupling.



H. R., L. G. 65H. B. DORE.

TRAIN PIPE cou-PLING. APPLICATION FILED PR. 17,'1914.

TRAIN mn coUPLING.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. R., L. G. & H. B. DORE.

Arruouron rum) un.1v,1914.

A W ,fw

H. R., L. G. 6c H. B. DORE.

TRAIN PIPE coUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR17,1914.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED srarnsggnnr OFFICE.

HERMAN R. DORE, LEWIS G. DORE, AND HARRY B. DORE, OF PORTSMOUTH, NEW

-EAMPSHXREL TRAIN-PHE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. s, 1914,.

Application led April 17, 1914. Serial No. 832,581.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HERMAN R. DORE,

Lewis G.DoRs, and HARRY B. DORE, citizexis of the UnitedA States, residing at Ports mouth, inthe county of Rockingham and in the art to which it appertans `to make and use the same.

This invention belongs'l the classI of 1 automatic couplers, being a combination air Vbrake pipe, steam. pipe and signal pipe coupler. Its principal object is to save time in the coupling of cars. Its operation being' entirely automat-ic, the trainmen are not called on to go between cars and a reduction in fatalitiesfrom such causes is the result.

The design illustravk in theaccompanying drawings is, at the present time considered by the inventors to be the most eicient. They reserve, nevertheless, the right to make any changes or alterations deemed necessary by .the practical application of this device, if, by so doingthey do not deviate from the spirit of their subjoined claims. I,

In the drawings :--Fi gure 1 is a perspective showing the application of. the combination coupler to the ordinary freight car. In this figure the mainfcoupler is only indicated to prevent any obscurity. Fig. 2 is un end View of the device, showing principally the swing frame. Fig. 3 is a plan ofthe same. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal elevation, the check valve easing cover being removed and the thrust plunger being omitted. Fig. is a longitudinal section of one of the universal pipe joints. Fig. 6 is a perspective. of the check valve stem frame, showing its operating pau-1 and release rod. g. 7 is a view of the thrust plunger 45 taken at right angles to that in Fig. 3.

The invention consists? substantially of the valve case 1 and the icoupling head 2. the brace bars 3 serving to unite them into a sanitary structure. The swing frame composed of the side pieces land the top and bottom pieces 5 united by the angle irons 6 serves as a support for the coupler, the angle irons 7 securing the 'frame to the end sill of the car 8 immediatelybelovv the main ,Coupler 9.

At intermediate points on the pieces l and 5 are studs 10 and on each of the four sides of the valve case l are similar studs 11 directly opposite 10. Springs 12 encompass studs 1l and 12 at their extremities, providing a resilient and universal support of the coupler as a whole.

The check valve casing l is molded out of solid material so as to have the chambers 13 With the incoming passages 11 and 15 and the outgoing passages 16, 17 and- 18. Bosses 19 protruding into the chambers 13 are provided with holes in which the extreme end of the valve stems 20 slide. At the end remote from 19, the'vlve stems 20 connect with the frame 21 after passing through thepassages 16 and the packing' boxes 22. 1

Valves 23 are secured by pins to these stems 20 and normally tend to close the passages 16 through the agency of the springs 24.

A cover 25 is designed to close the valve casing l, being held thereto by means of the cap screws 26. 1.,

To the rear of the valve casing the universal pipe connections are made, such connections consisting of. the longitudinal pieces 5G running the full length of the car and terminating at their ends' in the globular members 27. Exterior to 27 are similar globular members 28 integral with the tubes 29 and these tubes 29 communicate with and slide `in the passages 14. Globular members 27 and 28 are kept in contact by the reaction of springs 30 which sur- 'round tubes 29 and tend to push the members Q8 away from casing 1.

The coupling head 2 terminates in a spherical angular nose 31 and just back of this nose is a spherical angular pocket 32 of such contour as to exactly-mate with the nose, concavity fitting convexity. In coupling cars the nose of an opposing coupler mates with pocket and pocket of'an 0pposing coupler matesI with nose 31.

Passages 33 and are provided in the coupling head, 33 being connected to passage 18 by the tubes 35 and 3l connecting to the rubber gaskets 36 with which corresponding gaskets of an opposing coupler register.

The check valve .frame 21 has integral with it a toothed member 37 with a tang 38 that proliects into the pocket 32. Designed to co-act with this toot-lied member is a. pavvl 39 swung on a pin 10 which penetrates eyes in the projections 41 integral with the coupling head 2.

A plate 42 capable of lifting the pawl 39 is attached in any suitablevmanner to vthe .Y

rod 43. This rod 43 has suitable bearings Vinthe projections 11 and terminates in han- I and bearing against the collar 52 connected solidly with the plunger tends to force the Whole coupling forward. .The plungerl 45 has a suitable bearing in the car framing 53 in which it is capable of longitudinal movement. The method of joiningI the plunger to the-coupler amounts to a universal connection, so that, while the plunger is only capable of longitudinal movement, the coupler may be at any angle With respect to the plunger.

When cars employing the prei-sent device are coupled, the nose 31and thepocket 32 of one coupler engage respectively the pocket and nose of the opposing coupler. The passages 34 in the tivo couplers are designed to register and the -noses 31 pressing on the tangs 3S move theyalve stem frames 21 back thus opening the valves 23 and permitting the passagejof steam and air through their respective pipesx' After the frame 21 has been moved back the pawl 39 engages the teeth of 37 and prevents the closing of valves 23 in case the train is accidentally separated at any point. As modern air- Abrake equipment is designed to operate if the system is ruptured at any point, the advantage of this feature is readily apparent.

Then it is desired to cut some cars loose from the train, the rod 43 may be operated manuallytoclosethejalves 23 and preserve the system intact. The turning of the rod 43l by hand causes the plate 42 to liftthe pawl 39 out of engagement with the teeth of 37 when the springs 24 return valves 23 to their seats and close the system at that point. Thrust plunger-s 455 keep mating couplers in continuous engagement andthe universal pipe co nections arid' the swing-frame .Y

prising a valve casing, containing spring operated valves, a coupling head, a valve opening mechanism designed tobe operated by the nose of an opposing coupler, a rack and paivl for retaining it in its open position,"

a crank for releasing the pawl and permitting the springs to close the valves, a thrust plunger connected to the coupler and designed to keep itin continuous'engagement'l .ivith a mating coupler.

2. In a combination air brake pipe, steam pipe, and signal pipe system; a frame, a coupler suspendedtherei'n comprising a multiplicity `valve easing and a coupler head, la

multiplicity of passagesl in `communication between the head and the casing, a multiplicity of spring tensioned valves controlling sai passages, a valve opening mechanism carried by the coupler head to be operatedv b v the nose of an opposing coupler head for synchronously opening the multiplicity of lsov valves, said valve opening mechanism in f cluding a rack having a T-shaped end to engage the stems of the multiplicity o f valves, a paivl engaging said rack "for holding said valves open When two couplers are mating,

gaging said paivl from the rack to permit the valves under the action Vof their springs to automatically close when the mating couplers are disengaged.

sis

" and a member manually actuated for disen- 

